Senate and House negotiators
agreed on a $700 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA-H.R.2810) for
FY2018. Although the actual text of the final bill was not available at the
time Newsbytes went to press, the FRA was informed the final bill includes:

• Imposing a pharmacy co-pay for
retirees younger than 65 to pay for eliminating the expiration date (May 2018)
for the Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) for military widows

• Increasing pay (larger than
requested) for troops by 2.4 percent

• Boosting military end strength
by more than 20,000 service members (4,000 Navy & 1,000 Marines)

• Mandating all Reserve Component
members who are mobilized will receive premobilization and transitional health
care

• Providing additional measures to
protect victims of sexual assault including prosecution of perpetrators of
non-consensual sharing of intimate images

• Allowing reimbursement up to
$500 for a spouse's expenses related to obtaining an occupational license or
certification in another state

The bill now goes before both
chambers for a final vote. The final votes are expected before the Thanksgiving
Day recess. If passed by both chambers, the bill will be sent to the President
to sign it into law or veto. The compromise bill does surpass the (sequestration)
budget cap of $549 billion for defense spending and will require additional
congressional action to be enacted. Members are encouraged to go to the FRA Action Center and ask
their legislators to exclude Defense spending from sequestration.

Ask VA Secretary to Help
Blue Water Vietnam Veterans

In the wake of the House Veterans
Affairs Committee (HVAC) and the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC)
failure to vote on the "Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act"
(H.R.299 & S.422 respectively) FRA and several other like-minded Veteran
Service Organizations have dispatched a letter to Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) Secretary Shulkin, urging him to implement a regulation to provide
Vietnam veterans who served off the coast of Vietnam to have the same
presumption the "Brown Water" and "Boots on the Ground"
Vietnam veterans have when filing for VA disability claims.

FRA supports the "Blue Water
Navy Vietnam Veterans Act" (H.R.299 & S.422) that would clarify
service members serving off the coast of the Republic of Vietnam during the
Vietnam conflict have a presumption for filing disability claims with the VA
for ailments associated with exposure to Agent Orange. Studies demonstrate that
the desalinization process used on Australian and U.S. Navy ships off the coast
of Vietnam magnified the exposure of the Agent Orange in the water.

The VA Secretary could help these
veterans by implementing a regulation. FRA has met with the secretary and have
been informed that he is reviewing the policy. Members are urged to use the FRA Action Center to ask
the secretary to implement a regulation giving these veterans a presumption for
filing disability claims with the VA for ailments associated with exposure to
Agent Orange.

FRA Supports Tax Credits
for Hiring Veterans

This week the House Ways and Means
Committee marked up and voted on a major tax reform bill. House
leadership has indicated that amendments will be debated in committee but no
amendments will be allowed from the House floor.

FRA has signed onto a letter from
The Military Coalition (TMC), sent to key legislators of said Committee,
requesting to extend the Hire Heroes Act tax credits and the Work Opportunity
Tax Credit (WOTC) for five years. The Hire Heroes Act, signed into law in 2011,
strengthened the WOTC by increasing financial incentives for employers who hire
veterans, including disabled veterans. Department of Labor data indicates these
incentives helped improve employment opportunities for veterans.

However, the constant cycle of
expiration and retroactive renewals of these tax credits causes uncertainty
among employers. Extending these tax provisions to five years will provide employers
certainty about the tax credits. It will also create more employment
opportunities for veterans.

Military Exchange Online
Shopping for Veterans Starts November 11

As first reported in the June 9,
2017 Newsbytes, the Veterans Online Shopping Benefit will become available on
military exchange websites starting November 11, 2017. The exchanges are
stocking up in anticipation of a huge increase in customers. More than 235,000
veterans have already been verified for the benefit, however, as many as 18
million more individuals may be eligible.

Veterans' Day/FRA 93rd
Birthday/Marine Corps' 242nd Birthday

This Saturday will mark the 99th
anniversary of the armistice ending the First World War 99 years ago, on
November 11, 1918-and today recognized as Veterans Day. It is a long-standing
tradition for many FRA shipmates to participate in Veterans' Day ceremonies all
across the country. Additionally, on November 11, 1924 FRA was founded, marking
FRA's 93rd anniversary. NP William Starkey will attend a breakfast hosted by
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce before participating in the ceremonies at
Arlington National Cemetery and the special wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb
of the Unknowns.

On November 10, 1775, the United
States Marine Corps was founded. FRA Headquarters (HQ) wishes a Happy Birthday
to the Marine Corps! Recently DLP John Davis and ADVP Brian Condon attended
Mack's Marines luncheon at the Commandant of the Marine Corps residency in
observance of the 242nd anniversary of the Marine Corps. Last Saturday, DLP
Davis attended the Commandants Marine Corps Ball.

FRA thanks members for their
service in defending our Nation, and also for their continued membership.
Please note FRA HQ will be closed Friday, November 10 in observance of Veterans
Day.

NewsBytes is FRA's weekly legislative update. If you received this through a forward and would like to subscribe, please e-mail us and include your name and contact information in the body of e-mail. If you are a member of FRA or LA FRA, please include your member number as well.